Reinforced vertical concrete structures



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United States Patent O 3,245,189 REINFORCED VERTICAL CONCRETE STRUCTURES Frank I). Reiland, Chicago, Ill., assigner to Gateway Erectors, Inc., Chicago, Ill.. a corporation of Delaware Filed July 1t), 1962, Ser. No. 208,714 7 Claims. (Cl. 52-648) The present invention is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 125,538, filed July 20, 1961, and relates to improvements in reinforced vertical concrete structures such as columns and other verticals in which one or more pairs of conventional reinforcement bars are spliced together and embedded in the concrete.

The principal object of the invention is to provide, in a structure of the above character, a reinforcement which may be composed of one or more axially aligned pairs of reinforcement bars of the same or of different diameter classifications arranged in end to end abutting engagement and clamped together by a novel sleeve clamp structure adapted to accommodate bars of the same diameter or of different diameters to be imbedded in the same concrete structure.

Heretofore, it has been customary `practice to splice vertically extending reinforcing bars together for embedment in concrete by overlapping the adjacent ends of the bars to an extent equal to twenty or more times the diameter of the larger bar and thereafter secure the bars together by means of heavy wire wrapped :around the overlapped ends of the bars. Making a splice of this character requires considerable time and therefore involves high labor costs. Also the overlapped ends of the bars displace objectional amounts of concrete at the splices in the region of the perimeter of the concrete structure. Furthermore, the compression forces in the column are not transmitted directly from one reinforcement bar to another. On the contrary, such compression forces are transmitted through the splice solely by virtue of the surface bond of the concrete with the deformations of the barsthat is to say with the angular ribs formed on the bars.

Another type of splice is formed by butt Welding aligned bars together. The butt ends are usually formed with interfitting V-shaped end faces for receiving the Welding metal. This practice is more expensive and therefore less desirable, from the standpoint of economy, than the lap splice since each weld requires the lservices of a highly skilled technician from 1/2 to 11/2 hours. Also it is necessary to X-ray each weld to make certain that the weld is acceptable. Therefore, in spite of the drawbacks of the lap splice it is used more extensively than the welded type of splice.

According to the present invention the reinforcement bars of the Isame or of different diameters having their adjacent end faces formed iiat and perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the bars, are arranged in longitudinal axial alignment with each other and with their adjacent end faces in flat coplanar contact so that compression forces are transmitted directly from one bar to an adjacent bar. The said ends of the connecting bars are clamped together by means of a sleeve-type clamp having some circumferential flexibility and adapted, when the bars are of like diameters, to exert a circumferential constricting grip on the peripheries of both bars being spliced. If the -bars are of different diameter classifications, a sectional reducer sleeve is .applied as 'an auxiliary fitting to the end portion of the bar of smaller diameter. The reducer sleeve sections are of suiicient thickness to compensate for the difference in the diameters of the bars and are clampingly embraced by the Isleeve clamp. The reducer sleeve sections have some circumferential ilexi- Patented Apr. 12, 1966 bility and also have some clearance along their longitudinal edges. Consequently they are adapted to be llexed into tight contact with ltheir associated bar by virtue of their direct contact with the sleeve clamp and by the constrictive pressure exerted by the latter.

In order to facilitate final inspection of the yabutting contact of the bars after the clamp is applied, the medial portion of the sleeve clamp is formed with inspection openings located at the abutting `faces of the bars. The end portions of the reducer sleeve sections are formed with slots adapted 4to cooperate with the openings in the sleeve clamp to facilitate inspection of the face to face contact of the connected bars.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view of a concrete structure reinforced by means of steel bars of different diameters and showing `also special clamp structures for splicing said bars;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section on line 2-2 of FIG. 1, showing bars of different diameters;

FIG. 3 is a perspective View inside elevation of a pair of reinforcement bars of like diameter clamped together by means of a special sleeve clamp;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section on line 4 4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 4a is a fragmentary cross section taken on line ta-4a of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows the sleeve clamp of FIG. 3 used in connection with a sectional reducer sleeve for splicing bars of different diameters;

FIG. 6 is an exploded view showing the parts of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a view in perspective showing, on a smaller scale, the reducer sleeve sections of FIG. 5 used in connection with a modified form of clamping sleeve; .and

FIG. 8 i-s an exploded view of the assembly shown in FIG. 7.

Referring first to FIGS. l and .'2 wherein six metallic reinforcements extend vertically of a concrete column andare embedded therein, each of the six reinforcements includes a bar partially embedded in a base or pier 11 and having a dowel section 10. The several dowels 10.

extend different distances upwardly from the base 11 land each supports on its upper end a bar section 12 of the sa-me diameter fas its associated dowel 10. The contiguous end faces of the dowels 10 and the bar-s 12 are formed to provide fiat faces extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the respective ba-rs so that the contiguous end faces will have perfectly horizontal coplanar contact and thereby insure direct transmission of compressive forces from one bar to another without danger of lateral slippage.

Each pair of aligned bars 10 and 12 are arranged in end-to-end axial alignment and are clamped together by means of a sleeve clamp (see FIGS. 3 and 4) comprising in each case a pair of `substantially semi-cylindrical wedge members 13-14 which together embrace and wedgingly interlock abou-t the abutted ends of said bars 10 and 12. The semi-cylindrical wedge -member 13 has inclined longitudinal edges 15-15a which are turned outwardly and then laterally to form hooks 16-16a as shown best in FIG. 4. The longitudinal edges 17-17afof the clamp ele-ment 14 are inclined and turned outwardly and then inwardly as indicated at 18-18a to form wedge-like hooks for interlocking with the wedge hooks 16-1611. One end of the wedge member 14, for example, the upper end in FIG. 3 is preferably pressed outwardly to provide a iluted end portion as indicated at 19 to Iprovide a Striking face for receiving the impact force of a hammer (not shown) to drive the element 14 lengthwise of element 13 to effect clamping engagement with perimeters of the abutting bars 10, 12. The said wedge members have frictional Icontact with the outer surfaces of deformation ribs 20'which define the perimeters of the bars 10, 12. However, in order to avoid displacement of the wedge member 13 during the driving of the member 14 to its operative clamping position, the upper and lower ends of member 13 are provided with inwardly displaced tongues 21 adapted to abut against certain of the deformation ribs 20 of the bars 10 and 12 as shown best in FIGS. 3, 4 and 4a. The medial Iportions of both wedge members 13 and 14 are provided with elongated inspection openings 22, 23, whereby the condition of the abutting contact of the end faces of the reinforcement bars may be observed.

The bars 10 and 12 may vary slightly in diameters and in their respective perimeter contours -as an incident to the wear of the rolls used in forming the bars. However, the wedge members 13, 14, while they are rigid lengthwise, being of a length equal to approxi-mately seven times the diameter of the larger bar, are sufficiently thin to yield circumferentially, and therefore will conform to said slight variations in diameters and perimeter contours.

The fact that the wedge members 13 and 14 are substantially semi-cylindri-cal they may be moved laterally of the bars into embracing engagement therewith after the bars have been positioned in endwise engagement. The tightening of the wedge members will move the abutting bars into perfect axial alignment and maintain them in proper position during the pouring of the concrete.

After a group of bars are clamp spliced to their respective dowels, for example the group of bars 12 shown in FIG. l, transverse ties such as shown at 24 or other conventional reinforcements are slipped over the upper end of the group of bars and moved longitudinally thereof to selected positions to hold the bars in parallel relation and thereby form a cage-like assembly. The lateral reinforcements 24 are anchored in position by means of wire fasteners 25.

Referring now to the concrete column 26 or other structure in which the metallic reinforcements are embedded: The concrete verticals of a building are poured for one Hoor at a time. The column 26 is therefore shown herein as extending from the pier or base 11 to an upper floor 27; the column and the upper floor being both shown in dot and dash outline for the purpose of clearness.

The bars 12 are preferably of uniform length and their -upper ends project different distan-ces above the upper floor 27. These projecting ends, therefore, serve as dowels Ifor receiving additional bar sections 28. The bar sections 28, of the present structure, have standard diameter-s less than the diameters of the bars 12 (see FIGS. and 6). Therefore, in order to utilize the wedge members 13, 14 to effect a butt splice connection of each pair of bars 12-23, reducer sleeve comprising sections 29, 30 are applied to the lower end of the bar 28 of smaller diameter. The reducer sleeve sections seat on the flat upper end of the bar 12 and their thickness compensates for the difference in the diameters of the abutted bars 12 and 2S. The sleeve clamp wedge members 13 and 14 are then Iapplied in the usual manner to embrace and clamp the bar 28 by constricting pressure exerted through the reducer sleeve sections 29, 30 and by like constricting pressure exerted directly on the upper end portion of the bar 12 las shown in FIG. 5. The said reducer sleeve sections are suliiciently thin and their longitudinal ed-ge-s are spaced apart as shown at 31 in FIG. 5. Consequently, the reducer `sleeve as a whole is flexed circumferentially into tight gripping engagement with the perimeter surfaces of the deformation ribs 32 on the clamped bar 28.

The opposite ends of each reducer sleeve section are recessed to provide inspection openings 33, 33 adapted to register with portions of the inspection openings 22, 23 of the wedge members 13, 14 when the latter are in their interlocked applied positions. When the reducer sleeve -sections are used, the upper pair of tongues 21 engage the adjacent reducer sleeve while the lower pair of tongues 21 abut against a side wall of a deformation rib 20 on the associated lower bar 12.

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate a modified splice assembly comprising a pair of reinforce-ment bars of different diameters, a circumferentially flexible reducer sleeve including a pair of reducer sleeve sections fitted to the lower end portion of the smaller bar, and a pair of sleeve clamp wedge members enclosing the adjacent end portions of the bars. The bars may be the same as the bars 12 and 28 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, and are designated by the same reference numerals 12a and 23a. This is also true of the reducer sleeve sections designated as 23a and 30a which are constructed and applied to the bar 28a of smaller diameter in the same manner as described in connection with FIGS. 5 and 6.

The clamping means of the above modified assembly comprise sleeve clamp wedge members 35, 36 which embrace and grip an end portion of the bar 12 of larger diameter and also embraces and grips the reducer sleeve sections 29a, 30a so as to press them into gripping contact with an end of the smaller bar 28. The member 35 of the modified sleeve clamp in a split sleeve which embraces the major portion of the circumference of the end of bar 12 and the said reducer sleeve sections 29a, 30a. Its longitudinal edges are bent outwardly to provide wedge flanges 37, 38. A flat wedge member 39 is formed with marginal inturned flanges 40, 41 which have interlocking wedging engagement with the flanges 37, 38 and thereby flexes the sleeve 35 into tight gripping contact with the bar 12 and lreducer sleeve sections 29a, 30a. The sleeve 35 and likewise reducer sleeve sections 29a, 30a have sufficient circumferential flexibility to permit them to conform substantially to slight variations of the diameters and contours of the bars.

During the installation of the modied clamp assembly shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 the split sleeve 35 is slipped over the upper end of the bar 12a. The reducer sleeve sections 29a, 30a are then applied to the lower end of the bar 28a to be spliced to the bar 12a. The sleeve element 35 is then moved upwardly until its transverse center aligns with the abutting end faces of the bars 12a and 23a. While the sleeve element 35 is retained in its operative position, the wedge member 36 is engaged with the wedge flanges 37, 3S and forced lengthwise thereof in a direction to draw the exible sleeve 35 tightly about the bar 12 and the reducer sleeve section members. The clamping pressure exerted in addition to clamping the bars moves them into axial alignment.

An inspection opening 42 in the sleeve 35 cooperates with an end slot 43 formed in a reducer sleeve section 29a or 30a to facilitate visual inspection of the relative positions of the end faces of the abutting bars 12a, 28a.

The sleeve clamp members 35, 36 conform substantially to one form of clamp shown in my copending application, Serial No. 200,204, filed lune 5, 1962. However, the specific form of clamp sleeve 35, 36 is claimed in my said copending application, and is not claimed herein apart from the reinforcing bars of different diameters and the associated reducer sleeve elements 29a, 30a.

It will be observed by inspection of the improved reinforcing structure shown herein that each of the several verticals thereof includes at least one pair of reinforcement bars of like diameters butt spliced together by means of interlocked wedge clamp elements and at least one pair of connected bars of different diameters butt spliced together, by means of a suitable clamp assembly.

While the invention is illustrated in connection with certain preferred embodiments, it will be understood that the invention contemplates all variations in construction coming within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A reinforced vertical concrete structure comprising at least one pair of reinforcement bars of dilferent diameter classifications embedded therein to extend lengthwise thereof and arranged in end-to-end axial alignment, and a sleeve clamp for splicing the bars together comprising a circumferentially flexible reducer sleeve embracing the butted end of the bar of smaller diameter and a pair of wedge members which together embrace the adjacent end portions of said bars and the said reducer sleeve; the said wedge members being formed along their opposite longitudinal edges with interlocking anges having co-engaging wedging surfaces extending lengthwise of the wedge members and adapted upon relative movement of the wedge members in one direction to exert circumferential constrictive clamping pressure directly on the perimeter of the bar of larger diameter and on the bar of smaller diameter through said reducer sleeve.

2. A reinforced vertical concrete structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the bars are provided with conventional angular deformations thereon and one of the semicylindrical wedge members is provided with at least one flexible tongue extending inwardly in abutting engagement with a side Wall of an angular deformation to hold the tongued wedge member fixed relative to the bars, while the other wedge member is driven lengthwise of the bars to exert said constrictive clamping pressure.

3. A reinforced vertical concrete structure as dened in claim 2, wherein there is a pair of said inwardly projecting tongues at either side of the medial region of the xed wedge member.

4. In a reinforced vertical concrete structure of the character defined in claim 1, wherein the said wedge members of the sleeve clamp are semi-cylindrical and one wedge member is formed with a uted end portion to provide an outwardly projecting striking surface for receiving impact applying force.

5. In a reinforced vertical concrete structure as dened in claim 1, wherein one of the sleeve clamp wedge members is 4circumferentially flexible, whereby the said wedge member and the reducer sleeve will conform to variations in the perimeter contours of the butted bars.

6. A reinforced vertical concrete structure as delined in claim 1, wherein the reducer sleeve includes two semicylindrical sections, both of which and one sleeve member of the sleeve clamp are provided with cooperating inspection openings for revealing the character of the endwise contact of the reinforcement bars and the reducer sleeve sections.

7. A reinforced vertical concrete structure according to claim 6, wherein the reducer sleeve sections seat on the end face of the larger bar and the inspection openings in the sections of the reducer sleeve are elongated slots opening through the opposite ends of each reducer sleeve section, whereby either end of a reducer sleeve section may be seated on the end face of the larger bar.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 189,190 4/ 1877 Chapman 287-114 224,347 2/1880 Crook 287-116 287,651 10/1883 Faust 287-111 943,469 12/ 1909 Schade 287-103 1,186,111 6/1916 Luten 52-741 1,202,336 10/1916 Varney 52-730 1,229,365 6/ 1917 Wiegand 52-677 XR 1,269,507 6/ 1918 Proctor 24-126 1,351,366 8/1920 Bowman 287-114 1,428,623 9/ 1922 Birdsey 52-600 1,463,749 7/ 1923 Pollak 24-25 2,069,280 2/ 1927 Schuster 5 2-283 2,073,338 3/ 1937 Durkee 24-25 2,424,542 7/ 1947 Adams 24-126 FOREIGN PATENTS 974,628 10/ 1950 France.

30,312 12/ 1909 Great Britain. 722,584 1/ 1955 Great Britain.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

JACOB L. NACKENOFF, HENRY C. SUTHERLAND,

Examiners. 

1. A REINFORCED VERTICAL CONCRETE STRUCTURE COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE PAIR OF REINFORCEMENT BARS OF DIFFERENT DIAMETER CLASSIFICATIONS EMBEDDED THEREIN TO EXTEND LENGTHWISE THEREOF AND ARRANGED IN END-TO-END AXIAL ALIGNMENT, AND A SLEEVE CLAMP FOR SPLICING THE BARS TOGETHER COMPRISING A CIRCUMFERENTIALLY FLEXIBLE REDUCER SLEEVE EMBRACING THE BUTTED END OF THE BAR OF SMALLER DIAMETER AND A PAIR OF WEDGE MEMBERS WHICH TOGETHER EMBRACE THE ADJACENT END PORTIONS OF SAID BARS AND THE SAID REDUCER SLEEVE; THE SAID WEDGE MEMBERS BEING FORMED ALONG THEIR OPPOSITE LONGITUDINAL EDGES WITH INTERLOCKING FLANGES HAVING CO-ENGAGING WEDGING SURFACES EXTENDING LENGTHWISE OF THE WEDGE MEMBERS AND ADAPTED UPON RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF THE WEDGE MEMBERS IN ONE DIRECTION TO EXERT CIRCUMFERENTIAL CONSTRICTIVE CLAMPING PRESSURE DIRECTLY ON THE PERIMETER OF THE BAR OF LARGER DIAMETER AND ON THE BAR OF SMALLER DIAMETER THROUGH SAID REDUCER SLEEVE. 